While every project we touch is special in its own way, projects that help our hometowns hit extra close to home. Notable examples include ONEOK Field, home of the Tulsa Drillers minor league baseball team, and Auburn Arena, where the Auburn University basketball team plays.
When redevelopment began in Birmingham’s city center, we jumped at the chance to be a part of it. Just a few miles down the road from our corporate office, Railroad Park and the adjacent Regions Field were a large influence on what has become a downtown renaissance. Only three years old, the Park is used for frisbee games and symphony concerts alike, while Regions Field recently opened as home to our minor league baseball team.
Our work at Railroad Park started with the initial project planning in 2007. We provided environmental and geotechnical assessments of the site to aid in park design. This included evaluation of soil and groundwater, site earthwork, structure foundations and groundwater depth. As the park progressed, we provided geotechnical evaluation for elevated walkways, the planned pond and additional structures. During construction, we monitored the earthwork, tested soil, sampled and tested concrete and grout, and inspected the structural steel.
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At Regions Field, our responsibilities included special inspection of structural steel and sampling and testing of above-grade masonry and concrete.
The structural steel inspection was a challenge due to the fast track schedule required for the steel erection. We had as many as four Certified Welding Inspectors on site at any given time. Our steel inspectors performed visual inspection and non-destructive weld inspection using Ultrasonic Testing methods. Construction inspections continued right up through opening day and beyond.
We were proud to be part of both projects, which are considered integral to downtown redevelopment and revitalization in Birmingham. They are a rallying point for our hometown and for the Building & Earth team.
